Animal trap



p 1929. J. NEWHOUSE L708J419 ANIMAL TRAP Filed May 8, 1924 Patented Apr. 9, i929.

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MILFORD J. .NEWHOUSE,'OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ANIMAL TRAP COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIAQ Application filed May 8,

This invention relates to an animal trap involving the use of a frame composed of cross bars secured together at their crossing and extending some distance beyond the same for receiving. and supporting .a pair of jaws and a striker arm, together with operating means and holdingymeans for said jaws and striker bar. 7

One of :the o'b'ects is to pivot the jaws to one of the bars at opposite sides of the crossing and to pivot the striker bar to the other frame bar at opposite sides of the crossing for compactness and convenience of setting both the jaws and striker bar;

Another object is to enable the striker bar tobe moved from a position at one end to'a posit-ion at the oppositeend ofthe jaws or at right angles to the pivotal axes t-l ereof for cramping the animalby "the jaws and effecting a more: instantaneous relief from suffering.

. Another object is to utilize the upper sideof the actuating spring for the jaws as a stop for limiting the movement of the striker bar when released.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the trap will be brought out in the following description. 7

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan of an animal trap embodying the various features of my in vention, the movable parts being shown in position for setting the trap. I

Figure 2 is a longitudnlal sectionai view taken on line 2-2, Figure l, the dotted lines indicating the closed position of the jaws and striker arms.

Figure .3 is' a transverse sectional view taken on line 38, Figure 1.

As illustrated, the supporting frame of the trap is composed of bars 1- and -2 crossing each other at right angles and secured together at the crossing by rivets 3- to hold them in rigid relation, both bars being extended some distance beyond the crossing.

The bar -1 is provided with upturned end lugs 4: and 5-- and an intermediate lug 6, the lugs -4 and 6 being disposed equal distances from and at opposite sides of the bar 2 and are provided with suitable apertures in which are pivoted a pair ofcooperative jaws 7 and --7. to swing about axes parallel with the ANIMAL rnnr.

1924. Saris-1N0. 711,832.

longitudinal center of the bar -1- and therefore, at right angles to the longitudinal center of the bar 2.

The bar -2. is also provided with upwardly projecting end lugs-8-- and S- and an intermediate lug -9-, the lug -S- being located at one side of the crossing of the bars -1' and -2 while the lugs .8.': and;9' are located at the opposite side of said crossing.

-The lugs -8+ and -8+ are provided with suitable apertures for receiving the opposite ends of a striker bar 10e and permitting said bar to rock about an axis at-right-angles to that of the jaws and or lengthwise of the jaws from. a

. position at one end to a position at-theopposite end thereof, the central portion of the striker bar -10- being arched ontw-ardly a sufficient distance to permitit to clear the jaws '-7' and -7 when rocked from one extreme position to another and toassume a position between tire lugs -5- I and -6 when set against the action of its retrztcting spring presently described.

A U-shaped leaf spring --11 has one of its'arms hinged to the lug --eto swing vertically and horizontallyand the corresponding end ofthe other arm is provided with an opening -l2 to permit it to be compressed toward the first named arm around the: lug i and also to allow its side walls to engage the outer edges of the adjacent ends of the jaws -7- and 7'.- for closing the latter when released.

The jaws may be held in their open positions by the usual means releasable by the animal andconsisting, in this instance, of a bait pan 13 and a detent 14.-, the bait pan being hinged to the frame bar '-2 at a point between the crossing of the frame bars and the path of movement of the central portionof the aw 7 when opened while the detent lt is hinged to the lug --9- at apoint between the path of movement of the jaw -7- and adjacent lug -8 and is extended across the upper face 'of the 0 on 'a-w 7' and en 'a ed with p 1 D t) the heel of the platform -13- tohold the jaws in their open positions.

A coil spring -..15 is mounted on the bar -2' between the crossing of said bars -.1 and 2 and the lug -8- so as to extend lengthwise of the bar -2 at the side of the bar 1 opposite that at which the detent 14 is located and directly under the open jaw 7,

T he inner end of the spring 15 is interlocked in an aperture 16 in the iramebar 2 near the cross bar 1 while the'outer end or the same spring is extended laterally and intorlockedwith the striker bar -l-'seme distance from its pivotal connection with the lug 8 for rocking said striker bar from asset position at one end to a position at the opposite end of the jaws"'7' and -7- or lengthwise of said jaws.

The means for holding the striker bar 10- in its set position consists of a detent 17 having one end hinged to the the action of the striker bar- 10 by its spring l 5 until afterthe jaws 7 and 7 begin to close to assure the trapping of the animal before causing it to be struck by the striker bar 10.

The upper leaf of the-spring 11- disposed in the path of movement of and forms alimiting stop for. the striker bar .10' when the latter is released as indicated by dotted lines iniFigure 2.

A retaining rod 19 is inserted through the spring ,and has one endv engaged with the frame 2 near the cross bar --1-- and its other end vengaged with the lug -8- lor'holding it in operative position.

The relative arrangement of 'the- Various parts of the trap as described are particularly simple and afl orc la free action of the jaws and striker bar both in setting and releasing, and contribute materially to the efficiency of the trap in catching and'relievingv the animal from suffering and at the same time preserving the hide and fur:

against undue mutilation. Whenthe trap is set and subsequently released by the de pression of the bait pan 1'3- by the anianal, the detent -14- will be tripped to allow the closing of the jaws ,7 and 7 by the spring -11 and this closfling of the jaws will cause the extension -l8 to shift the free end of the detent 17' laterally out of" engagement there with for releasing the same and permitting a the operation of the striker bar 10 by its spring 15 thereby assuring the trap,

ping of the animal in advance'of its being struckand numbed by the striker bar 10 which also cramps the'aniinal' in the jaws and reduces the liability of its escape therefrom. V v What I claim is An animal trap comprising a bottom 7 plate, cooperative jaws. having end pintles ournaled in the bottom plate,a spring for posite ends. of the cross bar to swing'about an axis normalto the axes of the jawsirom a position at one end to a'position at the other end of said jaws, a spring for operat- "'75 closing the jaws, a crossbar fixed to the botvtoln plate, a striker-bar journaled in the 'oping the striker bar-positioned on the-cross bar between ajournale'd end of 'the'striker mounted on the cross barin spaced relation to the'other ournaled end 'iofthe-striker bar, a'movableplatit'orm 'mounted on the bottom plate for coaction with the detent whereby the aws are held open against the action of their spring and a second'detent pivotally mounted .on the end. of the bottom plate and movable into and out of engage ment with a pintle of a jaw forholding the striker bar against the action ofits spring.

In'witness whereofiI have hereuntofset my hand this twenty-ninth day April, 1924:. I

MILFORD J; Newman bar and the-bottom plate, a detent pivotally" 

